Electric clutch-brake driving devices



y 13, 1953 L. A. WENDEL 2,834,444

ELECTRIC CLUTCH-BRAKE DRIVING DEVICES Filed Jan. 3, 195a uvmvroa Lorenz A. Wendel TTORNE Y WITNESS Unite Patented May 13, 1958 ELECTRIC CLUTCH-BRAKE DRIVING DEVICES Lorenz A. Wendel, Somerville, N. J., assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. 1., a cor poration of New Jersey Application January 3, 1956, Serial No. 557,046

9 Claims. (Cl. 192--18) This invention relates to electric driving devices for operating sewing machines or the like and more particularly to means for supporting the driving device on the structure carrying the machine to be driven.

The driving devices to which the present invention relates are known in the art as electric power transmitters and generally comprise a housing or casing containing an electric driving unit, a clutch-brake mechanism, and having exteriorly of the housing a driving pulley and depending actuating means for selectively actuating or braking the driving pulley. The power transmitter is normally mounted on the under side of a table top supporting the machine to be driven with the driving pulley of the transmitter in belt driving alignment with the driven machine pulley. v

It is an object of the present invention to provide a support structure for mounting the power transmitter which is simple in construction and economical to produce.

It is a further object to provide a novel structure supporting the transmitter in a manner to permit adjustment of the belt tension between the driving and driven pulleys.

In connection with the adjustment of the belt tension, the transmitter is relocated toward or away from the driven machine support and under some circumstances the actuating lever depending from the transmitter may be inconveniently positioned relative to the pedal actuating linkage associated therewith and result in improper transmitter operation.

It is accordingly a further object to provide a means for maintaining the desired actuating lever and pedal actuating positions independently of the belt tensioning position of the power transmitter.

Briefly, the objects of the present invention are accomplished by mounting the power transmitter on a support bracket constructed to permit movement of the transmitter about a pivot toward andaway from the table top thereby to obtain the desired belttensioning relationship between the transmitter and driven pulley, and also by including means on the bracket to permit rotation of the transmitter about its own axis thereby to position the actuating lever in the desired actuating position.

v In the drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a power transmitter attached to a'table top by the supporting bracket of the presentinvention. r

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of Fig. 1 with some of the parts broken away to show details of the underlying structure.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the electric power transmitter 10 comprises a substantially cylindrical frame or casing 11 which contains a conventional drivshown) mounted on the table top 16.

l The clutch-brake-mechanism (not shown) is controlled by an L-shaped actuating lever 17 which is pivotally supv ported on a pin 18 carried by a pair of spaced bosses 19 formed on the casing. A yoke 20 is provided on one end of the lever and carries a control pin 21 which extends through a sliding collar 22 having attached thereto, within the housing, a movable clutch member (not shown) which is selectively engageable with a driven flywheel or brake to control rotational movement of the driving pulley 14. The other end of the actuating lever 17 has an outwardly projecting L-shaped bracket 23 fixedly attached thereon and the bracket has fastened thereto a pivot member 24- terminating in a ball which seats within a socket provided within the end of a link rod 25 connected to a foot peda actuating means (not shown).

As shown, the transmitter 10 is mounted on the under side of a table top 16 by a bracket support 26 secured thereto by bolts and nuts 27 having a resilient sleeve 28- interposed between the nut and table top to reduce vibra tion to the table top. The bracket comprises a mounting plate 29 formed to provide a substantially flat horizontal portion 30 adapted to rest flush against the under side' of the table top and 21 depending inclined portion 31.

The plate is also formed with downwardly depending side flanges 32 and 33 having provided adjacent the free edge of the inclined portion a pair of aligned openings 34 in which a horizontal hollow support tube 35 seats preferably with a force fit to secure it in position with the left end of the tube, as viewed in Fig. l, projecting beyond the flange 32.

In a transmitter support, it is frequently necessary to adjust the tension of the belt on the driving pulley in order to maintain the desired driving relationship with the machine to be driven and it is desirable that this be accomplished with the minimum amount of effort and inconvenience. By the present invention this is accomplished by attaching the transmitter to the supporting bracket 26 for pivotal movement about the supporting tube 35, whereby the driving pulley 14 is movable in an arc toward and away from the table top 16. It can readily be seen that arcuate movement of the transmitter will also move the actuating lever 17 and may relocate it in a position which may cause interference with the operation of the transmitter, as for instance binding in the connection 24 joining the actuating lever 17 to the pedal actuating link 26, thereby interfering with the desired instantaneous response of the clutch member with the driving unit and brake of the transmitter. By the present invention the power transmitter 10 is supported to permit rotation thereof about its own axis, whereby the actuating lever 17 may be selectively positioned in a'plane which will not cause the above mentioned difiiculties. As shown, this is accomplished by providing a pair of spaced supporting straps 36 and 37 which are secured to the tube 35 for pivotal movement thereabout and also to the transmitter 10 to permit rotation of the latter about its own axis.

. Each strap 36 and 37 is formed with a transmitter engaging postion 38 shaped substantially concentric with the outer surface of the cylindrical transmitter housing 39 and having at one end a downwardly depending flange 40 and at its other end 41 shaped to partially encircle the supporting tube 35. Associated with each strap is a lock plate 42 which is provided with a strap engaging portion formed complementary and slidably engageable with its respective strap and having one end 44 curved to engage the support rod 35 to serve as a means for clamping the strap in a selective angular position on the hollow tube as will be more fully explained below.

Each of the straps 36 and 37 is secured to the transmitter with the lower surface of the strap firmly held against bosses 43 formed on the transmitter by clamping bolts 45 and .46. As shown, each of the clamping bolts and 46 passes through aligned elongated slots 47 provided in the straps, whereby the transmitter may be turned about its axis to position the' actuating lever in a desired operating plane. The rear clamping bolts 46 in addition to passing through the strap also secure the clamping plates 42 in position whereby the bent portion 44 firmly engages the support tube 35 to clamp the straps 36and 37 and, accordingly, the transmitter in a selective'angular position on the tube.

A feature of the hollow support tube 35 forming the pivot for movement of the transmitter is that the hollow tube tends to absorb the vibrations normally associated with transmitter operation and thus materially reduces the noise caused by the sounding board effect ofthe wooden tabletop on which the transmitter may be mounted.

To assure that the transmitter 10 maintains its desired angular position about the supporting tube 35, in the preferred form of the invention an additional adjustable link connection 48 extending from the support bracket to the transmitter is provided.

As shown, the adjustable link connection 48 comprises a; link 49 pivotally mounted on a stud-50 secured in a substantially U-s'haped bracket 51 which is fastened by a rivet 52 to the mounting plate 29. Another link member 53 in overlapping relationship with the link 49 is pivotally mounted on a rod 54 arranged substantially parallel with the transmitter 10 and fixedly secured to upstanding flanges 55 and 56 formed on the straps 36 and 37, respectively.

Each of the links 49 and 53 are provided with aligned elongated slots 57 and 58, respectively, through which a stud 59 passes.- The nut 60 and washer 61 threaded upon the stud 59 hold the link members 49 and 53 at the desired length and, accordingly, the transmitter 10 at the predetermined belt tensioning position about the support tube 35.

From the'foregoing description, it can readily be seen that the power transmitter and the support therefor has many advantages. When it is desired to tighten the belt on the driving pulley it is merely necessary to loosen the nut 60 on the stud 59 connecting the links 49 and 53 and, if necessary, the rear clamping bolts 46 to permit the straps carrying the transmitter to swing arcuatelydownwardly about the tube 35 until the desired belt tension is achieved. The nut 60 is then tightened to hold the links 49 and 53 at the desired length thereby angularly to position the straps on the tube 35.

I The above procedure results in the actuating lever 17, as viewed in Fig. 2, swinging counterclockwise and, as pointed out heretofore, in some instances it may be undesirable to have the lever in thenew belt adjustment position. Thus, in order to return the lever 17 to its original position the clamping bolts 45 and 46 need merely be' loosened sufiiciently to permit the bolts screwed in the transmitter casing to slide in the elongated slots 47 and thereby permit rotation of transmitter 10 about its axis until the actuating lever 17 is returned to its original predetermined position. Thereafter the clamping bolts are again tightened to hold the transmitter clamped against axial rotation.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what 1 claim herein is:

1; An electric power driving unit having a substantially cylindrical housing and including an actuating lever operatively connected to a clutch-brake mechanism forming a partof the driving unit, and means for adjustably' mounting said unit on the supporting structure of the machine to be driven; said mounting means comprising a bracket, a pivot means supported on said bracket, strap means rotatably mounted on said pivot means, means securing said driving unit to the straps to support the driving unit substantially parallel with said .pivot means, means for locking said straps in a selective angular'position on said pivot means, and means provided on said straps cooperating with said driving unit securing means to permit axial rotational adjustment of said driving unit whereby said actuating lever may be aligned to lie in a selective predetermined plane.

2. An electric power driving unit having a substantially cylindrical housing and including an actuating lever operatively connected to a clutch-brake mechanism forming a part of the driving unit, and means for adjustably mounting said unit on the support structure of the machine to be driven; said mounting means comprising a bracket, a pivot means supported on said bracket, strap means curved substantially concentric with said housing and rotatably mounted on said tube, means securing said driving unit to the strap means to support the driving unit substantially parallel with said pivot means, adjustable telescoping link means extending from said bracket and operatively connected to said strap means for locking the latter in a selective angular position on said pivot means, and means provided on said straps cooperating with said driving unit securing means to permit axially rotational adjustment of said driving unit whereby said actuating lever maybe aligned to lie in a selective predetermined plane.

3. An electric power driving unit having a substantially cylindrical housing and including an actuating lever operatively connected to a clutch-brake mechanism forming a part of the driving unit, and means for adjustably mounting said unit on the supporting structure of the machine to be driven; said mounting means comprising a bracket, a horizontal pivot means supported on said bracket, strap means curved substantially concentric with said housing and rotatably mounted on said pivot means, means securing said driving unit to the strap means to support the driving unit substantially parallel with said pivot means, means for locking said strap means in a selective position on said pivot means, and elongated slots provided in said strap means through which said securing means passes to permit axially rotational adjustment of said driving unit whereby said actuating lever may be aligned to lie in a selective predetermined plane.

4. An electric power driving unit having a substantially cylindrical housing and including an actuating lever operatively connected to a clutch-brake mechanism forming a part of the driving unit, and means for adjustably mounting said unit on the supporting structure of the machine to be driven; said mounting means comprising a bracket, a horizontal pivot means supported on said bracket, curved strap means rotatably mounted on said pivot means, means securing said driving unit to the strap means to support the driving unit substantially parallel with said pivot means, adjustable telescoping link means extending from said bracket and operatively connected to said strap means for locking the latter in a selective angular position on said pivot means, and elongated slots provided in said strap means through which said securing means passes to permit axially rotational adjustment of said driving unit whereby said actuating leiver may be aligned to lie in a selective predetermined p ane.

5. An electric power driving unit having a substantially cylindrical housing and including an actuating lever operatively connected to a clutch-brake mechanism forming a part of the driving unit and means for adjustably mounting said unit on the supporting structure of the machine to be driven; said mounting comprising a bracket, a tube horizontally secured to said bracket, a plurality of spaced straps each' having one end rotatably mounted on said tube and having a portion shaped substantially concentric with said driving unit housing, means securing said driving unit to the straps to support said unit substantially parallel with said tube, means for locking said straps in a selective angular position on said tube, and means provided on each of said straps cooperating-with said securing means to permit axial rotational adjustment of said driving unit whereby said actuating lever may be aligned to lie in a selective predetermined plane. 6. An electric power driving unit having a substantially v cylindrical housing and including an actuating lever operatively connected to a clutch-brake mechanism forming a part of the driving unit and means for adjustably mounting said unit on the supporting structure of the machine to be driven; said mounting comprising a bracket, a tube horizontally secured to said bracket, a plurality of spaced straps each having one end rotatably mounted on said tube and having a portion shaped substantially concentric with said driving unit housing, rigid means interconnecting each of said plurality of straps, means securing said driving unit to the straps to support said unit substantially parallel with said tube, means for locking said straps in a selective angular position on said tube, and means provided on each of said straps cooperating with said securing means to permit axial rotational adjustment of said driving unit whereby said actuating lever may be aligned to lie in a selective predetermined plane.

7. An electric power driving unit having a substantially cylindrical housing and including an actuating lever operatively connected to a clutch-brake mechanism forming a part of the driving unit and means for adjustably mounting said unit on the supporting structure of the machine to be driven; said mounting comprising a bracket,

a tube horizontally secured to said bracket, a plurality of spaced straps each having one end rotatably mounted on said tube and having a portion shaped substantially concentric with said driving unit housing, rigid means interconnecting each of said plurality of straps, means securing said driving unit to the straps to support said unit substantially parallel with said tube, telescoping adjustable link means extending from said bracket and connected to said rigid link interconnecting means for locking said straps in a selective angular position on said tube, and means provided on each of said straps cooperating with said securing means to permit axial rotational adjustment of said driving unit whereby said actuating lever may be aligned to lie in a selective predetermined plane.

8. An electric power driving unit having a substantially cylindrical housing and including an actuating lever operatively connected to a clutch-brake mechanism forming a part of the driving unit and means for adjustably mounting said unit on the supporting structure of the machine to be driven; said mounting comprising a bracket, a tube horizontally secured to said bracket, a plurality of spaced straps each having one end rotatably mounted on said tube and having a portion shaped substantially concentric with said driving unit housing, means securing said driving unit to the straps to support said unit substantially parallel with said tube, means for locking said straps in a selective angular position on said tube and means provided on each of said straps, and elongated slots provided in each of said straps through which said securing means pass to permit axially rotational adjustment of said driving unit whereby said actuating lever may be aligned to lie in a selective predetermined plane.

9. An electric power driving unit having a substantially cylindrical housing and including an actuating lever operatively connected to a clutch-brake mechanism forming a part of the driving unit and means for adjustably mounting said unit on the supporting structure of the machine to be driven; said mounting comprising a bracket, a tube horizontally secured to said bracket, a plurality of spaced straps each having one end rotatably mounted on said tube and having a portion shaped substantially concentric with said driving unit housing, rigid means interconnecting each of said plurality of straps, means securing said driving unit to the straps to support said unit substantially parallel with said tube, means for locking said straps in a selective angular. position on said tube, and elongated slots provided in each of said straps through which said securing means pass to permit axially rotational adjustment of said driving unit whereby said actuating lever may be aligned to lie in a selective predetermined plane.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,282,198 Davis Oct. 22, 1918 2,600,929 Shapiro June 17, 1952 2,703,369 Voight Mar. 1, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 75,148 Denmark Dec. 15, 1952 

